Tot-stage construction



LA. DUNIGAN. TOY STAGE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED. MAR. 1]. ma.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

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J. A. DUNIGA N.

TOY STAGE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17,1916.

1 1 95,792 I Pafented Aug. 22, 1916.

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TOY STAGE CONSTRUCTION. APEPLICATION FILIED MAR. 17. 1916.

1,1 95,792. Patented. Aug. 22, 1916.

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JAMES ANDREW DUNIGAN, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

TOY-STAGE ooivs'ranorroiv.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Application filed March 17, 1916. Serial No. 84,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs A. DUNIGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Toy-Stage Construction, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a toy theater or stage construction, and oneof its objects s to provide a stage construction which is simple andinexpensive and admits of the use of moving figures in giving differentperformances or stage productions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy theater or stageconstruction wherein the stage platform and casing forming the inclosingwalls of the stage are constructed so as to be made inexpensively ofsuitable material which may be initially packed within a box orreceptacle for sale and then set up for'use, or which may be initiallyset up 'forsale in condition for use.

and so as to be packed within a container of convenient size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stageconstruction which will admit of the use of suitable scenery and inwhich the performers, consisting of figures of suitable material, aremoved into and out of vision upon an endless belt web which may beoperated from a concealed point at the rear of the stage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a toy theater orstage construction in which circus or similar acts may also be performedin an interesting manner.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a toytheater stage constructed in accordance with my invention and showingthe curtain raised and certain performers in position. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig- 4 isa sectionalplan view on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinalsection on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on theline 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on the line7-7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section on the line 8-8of Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the casing body. Fig. 10 is adetail view showing a feature of construction. Fig. 11 is a fragmentaryview similar to Fig. 4 and showing the use of a rotary ring element.Fig. 12 is a section on the line 1212 of Fig. 11.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a base or foundation 1which is preferably made of wood or metal, but may be made of othersuitable material, and which comprises a top 2 forming the stage orplatform and depending side pieces 3, which support said floor orplatform at a suitable elevation. Extending centrally and rearwardlyfrom the said platform portion of the base is a bracket arm 5 havingbifurcated or slotted end portions 6 and 7,

which bracket arm is connected with the platform portion by fastenings 8and is rigidly stayed from said platform portion y braces 9.

The floor 2 is provided with a guide slot 10 extending completely acrossthe same and intersecting the upper ends of guide slots 11 formed in theside pieces 3. -These slots are provided for the guided movement acrossthe stage platform of a portion of the base portion of atriangularly-shaped belt or web 12 which passes at its vertex portionaround a drive wheel or roller 13 journaled in the slotted front end 6of the bracket-arm 5, said wheel beingmounted upon a vertical shaft 141having an angular head 15 at its upper end adapted to receive a crankhandle or other suitable actuating element 16, whereby the movable belt,tape or web may be driven. As shown, the wheel 13 is preferably providedwith spurs or pins 17 which are adapted to grip the belt and impart apositive driving motion thereto in such a manner as to prevent the beltfrom slipping.

The sides of the belt pass around rounded guide members 18 formed ofcard-board or other suitable material and secured to the side pieces 3,preferably by gluing or pasting, and the said belt as shown comprises apair of strips 19 and 20 sewed or otherwise united at their lower ends,as indicated at 21, and free at their upper ends from each other, thestrips thus forming a channel to receive a base extension 22 of movablefigures 23, which are thus adapted to be held or clamped between thestrips or folds of the belt by the walls of the slot 10 for movementacross the stage floor 2 in either directhe underside of the floor 2 ina suitablebracket 25, and the portion of the belt which engages saidroller is held in contact therewith by a ribbon spring 26 secured to thefloor at the opposite side of the slot 10 from the roller 24, by meansof which the belt will be pressed against said roller and prevented fromslipping, while its folds will be held securely closed as long as theyare disposed within the slot.

Rising from the foundation or base is a casing 27 forming the walls orinclosure of the stage, the said casing comprising a base or bottomsurface 28, side walls 29, a top wall 30, a rear wall 31 and a front orproscenium wall 32 having the proscenium opening 33. These portions ofthe casing are preferably made of cardboard or other sultable material,which may be printed or colored as desired to represent the simulatedportions of a stage, and preferably the base, side walls, top wall andrear wall are made of a single piece of material, as illustratedparticularly in Fig. 9. 'As shown, the base 28 is pasted or otherwisesuitably secured to the floor 2, and the side walls 29 are integraltherewith and bent upwardly therefrom, while the wall 30 is integralwith one of the side walls 29, as is also one of the side edges of therear wall 31. The side walls are designed in practice to be united tothe base by suitable strips of paper or other material pasted theretoand are preferably also pasted or otherwise secured to uprights 34:,made of wood or other rigid material, and fixed to and extendingupwardly from the foundation. The base and side portions 28 and 29 ofthe casing are formed with slots 34: and 35 which register with theslots 10 and 11 in the foundation, and, as shown, the free end of thetop wall 30 is pasted or otherwise suitably fastened to the oppositesidewall 29 which it overlaps, while the free edge of the wall 30 isprovided with a. slotted projection 36 engaged by a tongue or flap 37 onthe said side wall 29, whereby said wall 31 is held in closed position.This wall 31 preferably forms a hinged or swinging door at the back ofthe stage, by means of which access may be secured to the interior ofthe stage inclosure, for the purpose of inserting and removing sceneryand other accessories. The scenery may be represented by printing theinner surfaces of the walls of the easing, or by pasting printed stripsof paper thereto, or removable scenic elements may be employed torepresent the back ground;

flies, scenic means, etc., so that the stage may be set for any desiredproduction.

The front or proscenium wall 32 is pro vided upon the front face thereofwith spacing blocks or members 39 to which are secured rigid side wings40, which are held at a suitable angle by the blocks so as to give afinished appearance at the front of the stage. To the rear face of thewall 32, above and below the line of the opening 33 are secured woodenstrips 41 to which are fastened screw eyes or the like 42 formingbearings for upper and lower transverse shafts 43 and 44. One of theseshafts is provided with an actuating crank handle 45 and connect-- ingthe shafts are sets of cords 46 and 4'7, which are wound in reversedirections thereon. Secured at its upper edge to the roller 43 is acurtain 48 of muslin or other suitable fabric, which is suitablyweighted at its lower edge, as by means of a wooden strip 49 fitted in apocket formed therein, and the projecting ends of which strip areconnected with the cords of one set, by means of which, when the lowershaft is turned in one direc tion or the other by means of its actuatingcrank, the curtain will be raised and lowered to uncover or cover theopening 33, as will be readily understood, the curtain when being raisedwinding about the upper shaft. It will thus be seen that a simple typeof curtain is provided for closing the proscenium opening wheneverdesired in the customary manner.

The toy theater or stage constructed as above described is especiallyadapted for the use of the children and others whereby interestingperformances, using scenery of the character described, in conjunctionwith movable characters or figures, may be carried out. For instance thestage may be set for a school play, showing the exterior of a schoolhouse with the door thereof at one side of the stage and in alinementwith the transverse guide slot. In such a scene children, represented byfigures placed in the endless belt, may be caused to travel across thestage on their way to the school house and to enter the school housethrough the door thereof. The curtain may then be dropped and a. secondscene arranged showing the interior of the school room and certainperformances therein, after which athird scene may be given which is aduplicate of the first scene but showing the children leaving the schoolhouse on their way home.

The device may also be employed to simulate a moving picture action,using, for example, cartoon pictures cut out of comic supplements andmounted on a. cardboard strip or base, while scenes at a circus orsimilar entertainment may also be shown. In giving a. circusperformance, the stage may be first set for an exterior and figures ofband wagons, ponies, elephants, horses, etc., are

placed in the endless belt, the curtain raised and the belt set intomotion to give an effective illustration of a parade along the street.After the parade has passed the curtain may be dropped and the stage setfor a one ring circus. Among other acts that may be given during thecircus performance may be performances of elephants and other animalsupon a rotary platform or ring 50 provided with a shaft or stem 51 whichmay be fitted to turn within an opening 52 in the plat form, and bearranged so as to be engaged by the upper end of the roller 24 so as tobe driven by said roller. The figures placed upon this rotary platformwill be set in motion by either the rotary motion of the platform or byvibratory action, so as to simu late dancing and other performances.

It is to be understood, of course, that the parts may initially be soldin sections to be set up by the user, and for sale dispensation may beput up in pasteboard boxes or other receptacles, or the device may besold in a set-up condition with its stationary parts rigidly connected,in which case the device may still be made small enough to be packedWithin a box or receptacle of convenient size.

The device may be made as elaborate and expensive in construction asdesired, although expressly designed to provide a simple and inexpensivetype of amusement apparatus, and it will be seen that it provides aconstruction which effectually subserves this purpose.

I claim 1. A toy stage comprising a stage structure having a transverseguideway, and an endless belt movable in said guideway for presentingobjects to be viewed, said belt being composed of folds of materialadapted for holding an interposed object.

2. A toy stage comprising a stage structure having a transverseguideway, an endless belt having a portion movable through saidguideway, said belt being composed of folds of material adapted forholding interposed objects to be displayed, guiding means for the beltincluding a wheel arranged at one side of the guideway, and means at theopposite side of the guideway for pressing the folds of the belt closedand holding the belt in contact with said wheel.

3. A stage comprising a stage structure having a transverse guideway, abelt having a portion movable through said guideway, said belt beingcomposed of folds of material adapted to hold objects to be displayed,means for guiding the belt including a roller at one side of theguideway, and a spring pressure member at the opposite side of theguideway for maintaining the folds of the belt closed and holding thebelt in contact with said roller.

4. A toy stage comprising a stage structure having a transverseguideway, an endless display belt passing through said guideway, andcomposed of folds of material adapted for holding interposed objects tobe displayed, a guide roller for the belt arranged at one side of theguideway and centrally of the stage structure, guide members for thebelt at opposite sides of the stage, a pressure device for holding thefolds of the belt closed and keeping the same in contact with said guideroller, a driving roller for the belt supported in rear of the stagestructure, and means for transmitting motion to said drive roller.

5. A toy stage comprising a base frame including a platform and sidepieces provided with guide slots, an inclosure supported by said basepiece and including side walls having guide slots in alinement with theguide slots in the base and having a movable rear wall forming a doorand an endless display belt mounted for movement upon the base piece andfor travel through said slots.

6. A toy stage comprising a stage platform having a guideway and abearing opening, a guide roller, an endless belt movable through saidguideway and passing around said guide roller, and a bearing membercarried by the roller and projecting upward through the said bearingopening in the stage platform, said bearing member being adapted toreceive the stem of a platform to be rotated thereby.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ANDREW DUNIGAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM HENRY HILTON, J r., MATTHEW A. DENNINGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

